This invention relates to cigarette lighters fueled by butane or other compressed or liquified gas.
Many such lighters are disposable, not refillable and very inexpensive. They tend to be become so commonplace that they are carelessly left sitting around where they become attractive to small children who frequently cause fires with such lighters.
Because of this recognized problem, federal regulations now require that such lighters include means for inhibiting operation by children. The lighter designs resulting from such regulations have generally involved attaching to or incorporating into an existing design, some means for inhibiting turning of the friction wheel. Some such means include a small thumb-operated member which must be moved both laterally and axially to release the friction wheel. Another such device provides a barrier to restrict the motion of the thumb lever that operates the gas valve of the lighter, which barrier must first be removed by operating a separate pin or tab. In each case an adult operating the lighter is required to go through one or two extra operations to put the lighter in condition to be operated. These extra operations are somewhat frustrating and annoying to the average adult desiring to use the lighter.